Bobblybear's Book List - 2013

[Kidsmum]

Thanks for the review Bobbly . I think i'm going to make this my next read 

[pontalba]

Good reviews, I have both Case Histories and Gone Girl in the stack.  I was ambivalent about the Atkinson, but your review has made me boost it much higher on my TBR.  Thanks.

[bobblybear]

It will be interesting to read your thoughts on them, given that we often have opposing views on books.

[bobblybear]

Finished the fabulous Where'd You Go, Bernadette, so what to read next?

 

While We're Far Apart - Lynn Austin - currently reading

Origin - Randolph Lalonde
Chicken, Mules, and Two Old Fools - Victoria Twead

The Tommyknockers – Stephen King
The Crime of Julian Wells - Thomas H Cook

A Long Way Down - Nick Hornby

The Snow Child - Eowyn Ivey

The Thoughts and Happenings of Wilfred Price, Purveyor of Superior Funerals - Wendy Jones

The Etymologicon: A Circular Scroll through the Hidden Connections of the English Language - Mark Forsyth

Where'd You Go, Bernadette - Maria Semple

Walden on Wheels: On The Open Road From Debt To Freedom - Ken Ilgunas

The World's Greatest Idea - John Farndon - currently reading

Megacatastrophes! - David Darling & Dirk Schulze-Makuch - currently reading

Born Liars: Why We Can't Live Without Deceit - Ian Leslie

Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn

Case Histories - Kate Atkinson

NW - Zadie Smith

[poppyshake]

The Snow Child is very good bobbs .. but perhaps I should quit whilst I'm ahead

[bobblybear]

Ok then, The Snow Child it is! I'm easily swayed.

[bobblybear]

NW - Zadie Smith

This book started promisingly, and I really enjoyed White Teeth so was hoping this would be something similar.

The book follows the path of 4 young Londoners who grew up in the same area, and have each taken different paths towards adulthood. As each character has their story told, the style of the novel changes, I guess to reflect their particular voice. Some are told in disjointed point form, under sub-headings, others in a vague sort of stream of consciousness that frankly rambled about everything and nothing. By the time we get to learn about one character in any depth we have moved on to the next one and that is a large part of why none of the characters interested or appealed to me. Also I’m not familiar with NW London (or any areas of London) so I don’t know if that is another reason why I didn’t connect with it, as quite a few places are referred to. Anyway, I ended up skim reading the last third of it, so that gives you an idea about how I felt about the book.

 

I noticed that Zadie Smith tends to receive very mixed views for her books, with readers either loving them or hating them. For me it was the latter. Well, maybe hate is too strong a word..... I would say I was intensely indifferent towards it.
 

1/6

[bobblybear]

Megacatastrophes! Nine Strange Ways The World Could End - David Darling and Dirk Schulze-Makuch

This was an engaging and light-hearted look at the various ways in which the world could end. It was different and interesting enough to keep me entertained, and each topic was given a rating out of ten on the author's 'Catastrophometer' as to the likeliness of the event and how worried we should be. Some bits were a little hard to follow due to the complexity of the topic, but because it was described in a somewhat jovial manner it never felt like a struggle to read.

Topics covered were:

- nanotechnology
- alien invasion
- super-volcano
- machines taking over
- LHC going wrong
- Infectious disease
- ice ages
- asteroids
- nearby starts dying/going supernova

 

3/6

[bobblybear]

I think I'm going to have to give up on The World's Greatest Idea. I tried to get back into it, but the author's idea of 'greatest ideas' just doesn't appeal to me.

 

My next non-fiction will be either Walden on Wheels: On The Open Road From Debt To Freedom or The Etymologicon: A Circular Scroll through the Hidden Connections of the English Language.

[poppyshake]

NW - Zadie Smith

1/6

Ouch!!    

I think I'm going to have to give up on The World's Greatest Idea. I tried to get back into it, but the author's idea of 'greatest ideas' just doesn't appeal to me.

Now I'm wanting to know what they were?  Did he mention the idea of toasting bread because I'd put that at number one   

[bobblybear]

Yeah, 1/6 is a bit harsh, but I really didn't like it.

 

The World's Greatest Ideas is full of all these 'woolly' ideas, such as The Self (that's the chapter that made me give up), Epic Poetry, Honour, Hope, Qi, plus countless others. Not what I was expecting at all.

[vodkafan]

Hi Bobblybear! Haven't read NW but I did have a good go at White Teeth and gave up on it....thought it was really contrived and the characters unconvincing..Zadie Smith's reputation is undeserved in my opinion.

[bobblybear]

Hi VF! She seems to be hit-or-miss with a lot of people. I'm glad I borrowed the book, rather than spend money on it.

[bobblybear]

Where'd You Go, Bernadette - Maria Semple

Bernadette Fox and her husband Elgin are an affluent and somewhat geeky couple, with a teenage daughter who attends private school. Elgin works for Microsoft, Bee is a straight A (or rather straight 'S' - for 'Surpasses Excellence') student, and at the beginning, we're not entirely sure who Bernadette is, aside from the clear indication that she is a bit different. Bernadette has shut herself off from the outside world, avoiding contact with all people where possible. Instead she organises everything through Manjula, a virtual assistant from India who charges a whopping $0.75 per hour (these emails are very funny, indeed!). When the family decide to go to Antarctica due to Bee's academic achievements, Bernadette is slowly forced to deal with her reality instead of hiding from it all the time.

The book is told in many different formats - letters, emails, handwritten notes and phone transcripts. There is an occasional narrative from Bee to fill in any gaps and move the story along when it's required. Bernadette is quite unconventional and her story is sympathetically told with just the right amount of humour. Although a few serious issues are mentioned, it is all told with a certain levity so that it is all very funny and you find yourself laughing with Bernadette, rather than at her.

It reminded me a bit of Microserfs by Douglas Coupland, because of the geekiness of it and also the unique style (with the various formats).

It took me just over a day to read it, and I enjoyed every word. It slowed down a tiny bit in the last third, but that's only a very minor criticism (not a criticism even, just my opinion). It was part mystery, and part comedy with many different perspectives, all uniquely told. There are many twists and turns that keep you hooked and desperate to know what happens next. It's one of the best books I've read all year and I've given it my highest score of the year, so far.

5.5/6

[vodkafan]

This looks like a must-read !

[Athena]

This book was already on my wishlist, I'm glad to hear you really liked it! Great review . It sounds like I should buy and read it sometime .

[bobblybear]

Thanks.   It is a very unique read, mainly due to the format of the story being told. It's quite a fun read as well, even though the subject matter is somewhat serious.

[bobblybear]

Updated reading plan:

 

While We're Far Apart - Lynn Austin

Origin - Randolph Lalonde
Chicken, Mules, and Two Old Fools - Victoria Twead

The Tommyknockers – Stephen King
The Crime of Julian Wells - Thomas H Cook

A Long Way Down - Nick Hornby

The Snow Child - Eowyn Ivey

The Thoughts and Happenings of Wilfred Price, Purveyor of Superior Funerals - Wendy Jones

The Etymologicon: A Circular Scroll through the Hidden Connections of the English Language - Mark Forsyth - currently reading

Where'd You Go, Bernadette - Maria Semple

Walden on Wheels: On The Open Road From Debt To Freedom - Ken Ilgunas - currently reading

The World's Greatest Idea - John Farndon

Megacatastrophes! - David Darling & Dirk Schulze-Makuch

Born Liars: Why We Can't Live Without Deceit - Ian Leslie

Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn

Case Histories - Kate Atkinson

NW - Zadie Smith

[bobblybear]

The Snow Child - Eowyn Ivey

Jack and Mabel are a middle-aged couple who have moved to Alaska in order to start a new life. They are still grieving over the loss of their unborn child several years ago, and this move was a way to distance themselves from their painful memories. Both are desperate for a child but all too aware that the chance has passed them by and their childlessness has consumed every part of their lives. One day, on the first day of snow they build a snow girl. The following day, they see a child running through the woods, and as the days pass they question whether this child has been created out of the snow. Apparently this is based on a very well known Russian folk tale. It's the first I have heard of it, but just about every review makes reference to it so it must be quite well known.

It’s a slow read and not a whole lot happens for a great deal of the book. It's the kind of book for 'book-lovers' I think, rather than casual readers, because it's not very plot-based. Very little happens in the book and the story itself could be condensed into a novella, but then again it's more about the experience and growth the characters (Jack and Mabel) go through, rather than 'their story'. Nothing much may happen but by the end of the book they have both changed in many ways.

 

I really liked Mabel and Jack's experiences in the 'wilderness' and their efforts to make a sustainable life for themselves. I enjoyed reading about their interactions with their neighbours and the sense of community they have built between them. I actually found that more interesting than the parts with the 'snow child' but that's just my preference.

I would have preferred the book to end a bit more conclusively, and I admit I did grumble a bit when I finished it. I also looked on the trusty internet for other opinions, in case I missed something (good ol' internet ), and most people seem to be quite satisfied with the ending, perhaps reading a bit more into it than I did.

 

All in all, an enjoyable read....I do think it's a book best read in winter (when snuggled up in front of a fire  ), rather than summer. Maybe if I'd done that, I would have scored it higher.

3/6

[bobblybear]

Tex - S.E Hinton

S.E. Hinton was one of my favourite authors when I was in my early teens. I read her books over and over, but haven’t read this one in close to 20 years. I’ve been looking on and off for her books on the Kindle for a while now, so when I saw this one was available I snapped it right up.

Tex McCormick is a happy-go-lucky 15 year old whose life revolves around his horse Negrito and his best friend (and neighbour), Johnny. He lives with his older brother Mason, who has to look after both of them in the absence of their father who is doing the rodeo circuit for months at a time. Money is tight and at the start of the book, Mason sells Negrito in order to pay the bills. This sets up the relationship between the brothers for the remainder of the book.

The books by this author were good when I read them back then and they are still just as good now. Although Tex was written in 1979, I think it has aged very well. It still deals with the same teenage issues and angst that are relevant today, except maybe they are a bit more grittier.

 

I loved this book so have to give it my top score. It's always worrying when you read a former favorite, in case it doesn't live up to how you remembered it, but I can say I enjoyed it as much as I did back then, even though I am a lot more critical now!

6/6

[Athena]

All in all, an enjoyable read....I do think it's a book best read in winter (when snuggled up in front of a fire  ), rather than summer. Maybe if I'd done that, I would have scored it higher.

x

The Snow Child is on my TBR, I'm glad to hear you liked it. I'll keep in mind that it's better read in the winter! That might add to the atmosphere of the book . Nice review!

[bobblybear]

The Tommyknockers - Stephen King

Bobbi (Roberta) Anderson stumbles over a bit of metal whilst out in the woods in Haven, Maine. Intrigued, she begins to dig it up and slowly starts to fall under it’s influence. Before long, this mysterious object starts to affect the other townspeople - physically (their teeth fall out) and also their technological/engineering capabilities. Bobbi’s alcoholic friend, Jim Gardener gets a sense that she is in trouble and comes to Haven, in an attempt to save her.

Now I’m a huge Stephen King fan, but crikey this book didn't half go on with itself. It could have easily been whittled down to half it’s length, without any real loss of the core story. Apparently King was heavily in the throes of addition while this one was being written and I guess it shows. It is very manic in many parts and often just rambles on seemingly endlessly. No economy of words here! Why use one word when you can use 20? Why have one plot line, when you can have 50? It was a struggle to finish it. The first hundred or so pages are quite interesting when Bobbi and Jim are introduced and we aren't quite told what this mysterious object in the ground is, but there is a section in the middle that must be well over 100 pages long that is pure filler. It is essentially backstory on half the townspeople and doesn't take the story anywhere or tell us anything relevant. It picks up again in the end, but after trudging through the middle section, it's a book that I was relieved to finish, rather than being able to take the time to enjoy the ending.

 

2/6

[bobblybear]

These are the books left on my current reading plan:

 

Origin - Randolph Lalonde
Chicken, Mules, and Two Old Fools - Victoria Twead

A Long Way Down - Nick Hornby

The Thoughts and Happenings of Wilfred Price, Purveyor of Superior Funerals - Wendy Jones

The Etymologicon: A Circular Scroll through the Hidden Connections of the English Language - Mark Forsyth - currently reading

Walden on Wheels: On The Open Road From Debt To Freedom - Ken Ilgunas - currently reading

Born Liars: Why We Can't Live Without Deceit - Ian Leslie

 

I still have plenty more on my TBR pile but I would like to read these before creating a new reading plan. The only one I'm having doubts about is Origin by Randolph Lalonde. Tried to read it, but had to put it aside after one chapter.

 

So far I've read 43 books this year, so will hopefully be able to reach my target of 52 by the end of the year. At the beginning of the year I was going to limit myself to buying 24 books....well, I counted up this years purchases and I've bought 57 so far.     So much for sticking to my plan, but I'm sure I'm not alone.

[Athena]

Nice review of The Tommyknockers, I'm sorry that you didn't really like it a lot though. One of my (online) friends likes this one a lot. It'll be interesting to see what I think of it when I get around to reading it.

x

So far I've read 43 books this year, so will hopefully be able to reach my target of 52 by the end of the year. At the beginning of the year I was going to limit myself to buying 24 books....well, I counted up this years purchases and I've bought 57 so far.     So much for sticking to my plan, but I'm sure I'm not alone.

x

If you keep going at your current pace, you might make it! There's about 1/4th of the year left (minus September's last few days) and I calculated that that means you could read another 10.75 books. Sorry if this sounds really silly though, what I just mean to say is, I hope you make your target !

 

You're certainly not alone, I bought way more than I planned to, too. It's difficult, isn't it, to not buy so many books . Good luck though in limiting yourself the rest of the year .

[Janet]

 At the beginning of the year I was going to limit myself to buying 24 books....well, I counted up this years purchases and I've bought 57 so far.     So much for sticking to my plan, but I'm sure I'm not alone.

You're absolutely not alone!  Every year I resolve to buy fewer books and this year was no exception.  In fact, I gave myself a stern talking to.

 

So far this year I'm up to 52 newly acquired (and that only includes Kindle books that I've paid for - freebies I don't count    ). By this point last year I'd only acquired 47 books  (only?!  ) so I'm doing worse than 2012, not better!